Stormwatch: Post Human Division
Encyclopedia
Stormwatch: Post Human Division is an American comic book
published by Wildstorm
comics
. It is the fourth volume to bear the name Stormwatch and was one of several comics used to reboot the Wildstorm Universe. It was first published in November 2006
and was written by Christos Gage
with art by Doug Mahnke
.
The series was ended after issue #12, but restarted in August 2008
as a part of the World’s End event with issue #13.
Prime has been reconstituted as the United States' superhuman crisis response team, but a splinter team operates out of a branch office in New York. Entitled Stormwatch: Post Human Division (P.H.D.), they are underfunded and overworked, their mission is to find "cost-effective" methods of saving the day.
. Also revealed is some of the past of Paris. He was the abused child in a family that ran a dog fighting ring. He was responsible for feeding the dogs and was the only one that treated them kindly. They recognized this and defended him later by eating his family.
.
The story details the return of some of the members of Stormwatch thought killed in WildC.A.T.s/Aliens
.
It is revealed, through flashbacks, that Jackson King got the idea to restart Stormwatch Prime after fending off a superhuman attack by old foes during his wedding to Christine Trelane. He sells the President of the United States (possibly George W. Bush) on the idea of funding the organization as a new superhuman crisis response team answering only to the U.S. as a countermeasure against eventualities such as the Authority attempting another government overthrow.
Realizing that the new Stormwatch Prime will not succeed without "the big guns," King is approached by the current Doctor who believes he can rescue Winter
from the Sun (revealing the events of Scorched Earth to an angered King in the process). The Doctor is able to rescue Winter's consciousness and transfer it into a younger, cloned body. In doing so, he inexplicably rescues Fahrenheit, Fuji and Hellstrike who were somehow 'linked to Winter's soul on a quantum level.' A scan of Fahrenheit's memories reveals that a mysterious armored figure is responsible for saving the four heroes, saying they will be needed later.
The issue also hints that the events of The Monarchy starring King and Trelane were all a drug induced hallucination caused by the previous Doctor (which would serve to resolve some major continuity issues).
crossover focused on Stormwatch: PHD. It featured art from penciller Leandro Fernandez
and inker Francisco Paronzini.
John Doran is brought to post-apocalypse Earth by Void. There he encounters Fahrenheit who explains to him the fates of each member of PHD. Paris retreated to his nature preserve to look after his animals and kill any poachers foolish enough to trespass. Black Betty took her family inside of the comatose Jeramiah Cain's home and transported the brownstone to another dimension. Gorgeous has returned to her old ways of leaning on a man to look after her, in this case the Monstrosity; the two seem to be the picture of love. The Machinist has become a virtual god for being able to return the power to Raleigh, North Carolina. John himself has died, going down fighting.
The two are then teleported to the newly built Skywatch III space station where they are met by a bearded and armored Jackson King. After scans verify John's identity, King explains how the funding for the station opened up after the incident involving the bunker and how his powers have grown since being shot in the head. He outlines his plan to rebuild the world, better than before, to which John muses that King sounds like the Authority or Henry Bendix. King refutes this.
Void reappears to return John to the present. After they're gone a technician reports to King that they have analyzed her temporal signature. The image of him overlooking the Earth mirrors the image of the shadowy figure seen in issue #5. Back in the present John meets with the non-powered members of his team and begins to tell them what they should do to avenge him.
storyline, a number of titles were re-launched and one of those was Stormwatch: Post Human Division, with the writer Ian Edginton
and the Armageddon art team.It restarted in issue #13 dated August 20, 2008.
In the aftermath of Number of the Beast
, Jackson King is once again holding the title of Weatherman, running Stormwatch from the new Skywatch equipped with solar sail
s "in high orbit. Out of the reach of vacuum-capable 'supers,' yet close enough to still use the teleport." The latest incarnation of Stormwatch Prime consists of Christine Trelane
, Link, Winter
, Fuji
, Fahrenheit
, the now-virtually immortal Deathblow
and Flint
who abandoned Team Achilles
after their successful return from an alternate universe to assist her former teammates during armageddon.
The High
is also shown escorting survivors into one of the last safe heavens on Earth, Finland
established in Stormwatch: Team Achilles as a place where posthumans aren't allowed.
The series ended with Issue #24 with the beginning of the "Red Blade" Story Arc which concludes in the pages of WildC.A.T.S.
:
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
published by Wildstorm
Wildstorm Universe
The Wildstorm Universe is a fictional shared universe where the comic books published by Wildstorm take place. It represents an alternate history of the real world where ideas such as interstellar travel and superhuman abilities are commonplace...
comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
. It is the fourth volume to bear the name Stormwatch and was one of several comics used to reboot the Wildstorm Universe. It was first published in November 2006
2006 in comics
-January:*January 1, 2006: Newsweek offer a look back at 2005 through editorial cartoons. *January 2, 2006: The Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist Jim Borgman starts a blog to detail his creative process...
and was written by Christos Gage
Christos Gage
Christos N. "Chris" Gage is an American comic book writer and screenwriter.-Early life:Gage is the son of author and journalist Nicholas Gage. He was born in New York, and grew up in Athens, Greece, and then North Grafton, Massachusetts...
with art by Doug Mahnke
Doug Mahnke
Douglas "Doug" Mahnke is an American comic book artist and penciller.-Biography:Mahnke's first prominent work was for The Mask, and he has since worked for DC Comics on JLA, Batman with writer Judd Winick, and Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein with Grant Morrison...
.
The series was ended after issue #12, but restarted in August 2008
2008 in comics
-January:*January 9: Teen Titans: The Lost Annual, delayed since 2003, is published.*January 23: Hellblazer #240, marking the 20th anniversary of the series, is released.-February:...
as a part of the World’s End event with issue #13.
Overview
The series departs from previous incarnations in some ways, most notably the absence of Skywatch and its urban setting. Characters that were killed during the Aliens/Wildcats One-Shot are subsequently retconned and brought back to life while others are newly introduced. StormwatchStormwatch (comics)
Stormwatch is a fictional United Nations-sponsored superhero team that originated in the Wildstorm Universe and has since been revived as part of the DC Universe. The original version of Stormwatch first appeared in Stormwatch Stormwatch is a fictional United Nations-sponsored superhero team that...
Prime has been reconstituted as the United States' superhuman crisis response team, but a splinter team operates out of a branch office in New York. Entitled Stormwatch: Post Human Division (P.H.D.), they are underfunded and overworked, their mission is to find "cost-effective" methods of saving the day.
Characters
The series follows the branch office as Stormwatch leader, former Weatherman Jackson King, tries to defeat superhuman menaces and balance the tight budget. The team assembled by King consists of:- John Doran, the team's leader, an NYPD officer who displayed incredible courage and insight which allowed him to survive a post human battle. He was also chosen as he represents the ordinary human being on the team.
- FahrenheitFahrenheit (comics)Fahrenheit is a fictional character, a superhero in the Wildstorm universe. The character first appeared in StormWatch #2 and was created by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee.-Fictional character biography:...
, Lauren Pennington, moved from Stormwatch Prime after injuries caused her to temporarily lose her powers. - Paris, Liam Mendoza, a former Stormforce soldier with a natural aptitude to identify his opponents' weak points.
- Gorgeous, Wanda Durst, a master manipulator and former moll to supervillains.
- Black Betty, Elizabeth Rowan, a former apprentice to a sorcerer named Jeremiah Cain.
- The Monstrosity, Dr. Mordecai Shaw, forensicsForensicsForensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
expert, shape-shifting human-alien hybrid and reluctant ex-supervillain. - The Machinist, Dino Manolis, an ex-supervillain and technology expert.
Formation
As seen in Worldstorm preview (6 pages) and issues #1-4, #6-7 art by Doug MahnkeDoug Mahnke
Douglas "Doug" Mahnke is an American comic book artist and penciller.-Biography:Mahnke's first prominent work was for The Mask, and he has since worked for DC Comics on JLA, Batman with writer Judd Winick, and Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein with Grant Morrison...
. Also revealed is some of the past of Paris. He was the abused child in a family that ran a dog fighting ring. He was responsible for feeding the dogs and was the only one that treated them kindly. They recognized this and defended him later by eating his family.
Resurrections
Issue #5, "Talking to the King," with art by Matthew Dow SmithMatthew Dow Smith
Matthew Dow Smith is an American comic book artist.- Bibliography :* Astronauts in Trouble: Live From the Moon #1 and #2* The Book of Fate #11* Day of Judgment #1-5...
.
The story details the return of some of the members of Stormwatch thought killed in WildC.A.T.s/Aliens
WildC.A.T.s/Aliens
WildC.A.T.S/Aliens was a one-shot comic book and intercompany crossover event, published by Wildstorm and Dark Horse Comics in 1998. The comic was written by Warren Ellis, pencilled by Chris Sprouse, with Kevin Nowlan inking and Laura Depuy as the colorist.-Overview:The story is set between the...
.
It is revealed, through flashbacks, that Jackson King got the idea to restart Stormwatch Prime after fending off a superhuman attack by old foes during his wedding to Christine Trelane. He sells the President of the United States (possibly George W. Bush) on the idea of funding the organization as a new superhuman crisis response team answering only to the U.S. as a countermeasure against eventualities such as the Authority attempting another government overthrow.
Realizing that the new Stormwatch Prime will not succeed without "the big guns," King is approached by the current Doctor who believes he can rescue Winter
Winter (comics)
Winter is a fictional character who is published by Wildstorm Productions. He first appeared in Stormwatch #1.-Character biography:...
from the Sun (revealing the events of Scorched Earth to an angered King in the process). The Doctor is able to rescue Winter's consciousness and transfer it into a younger, cloned body. In doing so, he inexplicably rescues Fahrenheit, Fuji and Hellstrike who were somehow 'linked to Winter's soul on a quantum level.' A scan of Fahrenheit's memories reveals that a mysterious armored figure is responsible for saving the four heroes, saying they will be needed later.
The issue also hints that the events of The Monarchy starring King and Trelane were all a drug induced hallucination caused by the previous Doctor (which would serve to resolve some major continuity issues).
Death in the Family
Issues #10-12 with art by Andy Smith. The team's headquarters is attacked. Unfortunately many police officers are slain in the crossfire.Breach of Trust
This took place during the The Authority: Prime limited series.Vision of Armageddon
The fifth part of the Wildstorm: ArmageddonWildstorm: Armageddon
"Wildstorm: Armageddon" was a crossover event in the Wildstorm Universe, written by Christos Gage and drawn by various artists.Armageddon led into a number of bi-weekly series, Wildstorm: Revelations and Number of the Beast, which resulted in the relaunch of a number of Wildstorm titles.-Issues:The...
crossover focused on Stormwatch: PHD. It featured art from penciller Leandro Fernandez
Leandro Fernández (artist)
Leandro Fernandez is a comic book artist, known for his work on various Marvel comic book titles.-Career:Fernandez is best known for providing the art for The Incredible Hulk, Wolverine and Spider-Man: Tangled Web series, as well as one story arc of the Oni Press publication Queen & Country.His...
and inker Francisco Paronzini.
John Doran is brought to post-apocalypse Earth by Void. There he encounters Fahrenheit who explains to him the fates of each member of PHD. Paris retreated to his nature preserve to look after his animals and kill any poachers foolish enough to trespass. Black Betty took her family inside of the comatose Jeramiah Cain's home and transported the brownstone to another dimension. Gorgeous has returned to her old ways of leaning on a man to look after her, in this case the Monstrosity; the two seem to be the picture of love. The Machinist has become a virtual god for being able to return the power to Raleigh, North Carolina. John himself has died, going down fighting.
The two are then teleported to the newly built Skywatch III space station where they are met by a bearded and armored Jackson King. After scans verify John's identity, King explains how the funding for the station opened up after the incident involving the bunker and how his powers have grown since being shot in the head. He outlines his plan to rebuild the world, better than before, to which John muses that King sounds like the Authority or Henry Bendix. King refutes this.
Void reappears to return John to the present. After they're gone a technician reports to King that they have analyzed her temporal signature. The image of him overlooking the Earth mirrors the image of the shadowy figure seen in issue #5. Back in the present John meets with the non-powered members of his team and begins to tell them what they should do to avenge him.
World's End
As part of the World’s EndWorld's End (comics)
"World's End" is a 2008-2009 comic book crossover storyline published by Wildstorm and taking place in the Wildstorm Universe. The event takes place in the issues of all of Wildstorm's Wildstorm Universe ongoing series.-Publication history:...
storyline, a number of titles were re-launched and one of those was Stormwatch: Post Human Division, with the writer Ian Edginton
Ian Edginton
Ian Edginton is a British comic book writer.He is one of the few British comic talents to follow the reverse trajectory to the one usually taken: becoming successful in American comics before returning to work for 2000 AD.-Biography:...
and the Armageddon art team.It restarted in issue #13 dated August 20, 2008.
In the aftermath of Number of the Beast
Number of the Beast (comics)
Number of the Beast is a comic book limited series, written by Scott Beatty, with art by Chris Sprouse.Number of the Beast was the second of a number bi-weekly series, it was preceded by Wildstorm: Revelations, which resulted in the relaunch of a number of Wildstorm titles.-Characters:As well as...
, Jackson King is once again holding the title of Weatherman, running Stormwatch from the new Skywatch equipped with solar sail
Solar sail
Solar sails are a form of spacecraft propulsion using the radiation pressure of light from a star or laser to push enormous ultra-thin mirrors to high speeds....
s "in high orbit. Out of the reach of vacuum-capable 'supers,' yet close enough to still use the teleport." The latest incarnation of Stormwatch Prime consists of Christine Trelane
Synergy (comics)
Christine Trelane, formerly known as Synergy is a fictional character in the Wildstorm universe. She was created by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi as a member of Stormwatch....
, Link, Winter
Winter (comics)
Winter is a fictional character who is published by Wildstorm Productions. He first appeared in Stormwatch #1.-Character biography:...
, Fuji
Fuji (comics)
Toshiro Misawa, also known as Fuji, is a comic book superhero in the Stormwatch series, first appearing in Stormwatch #1. He has immense size and strength as well as the ability to control the density of his body granted by his containment suit...
, Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit (comics)
Fahrenheit is a fictional character, a superhero in the Wildstorm universe. The character first appeared in StormWatch #2 and was created by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee.-Fictional character biography:...
, the now-virtually immortal Deathblow
Deathblow
Deathblow is a fictional character in the . He first appears in Darker Image #1 was created by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi.-Fictional character biography:...
and Flint
Flint (comics)
Flint, Victoria Ngengi, is a comic book character from Wildstorm, created by Jeff Mariotte and Ron Lim. She is also a member of StormWatch.-History:...
who abandoned Team Achilles
Stormwatch: Team Achilles
Stormwatch: Team Achilles is an American super-hero series, the third incarnation/revision of the Image comics Stormwatch.This version was penned by Micah Ian Wright and drawn variously by Whilce Portacio, C. P. Smith, Mark Texeira, Tomm Coker, Carlos D'Anda, and Clement Sauve. The longest run for...
after their successful return from an alternate universe to assist her former teammates during armageddon.
The High
Changers
The Changers are a group of super-heroes published by Wildstorm an imprint of DC Comics. The team first appears in Stormwatch #48 , and was created by Warren Ellis and Tom Raney.-Publication history:...
is also shown escorting survivors into one of the last safe heavens on Earth, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
established in Stormwatch: Team Achilles as a place where posthumans aren't allowed.
The series ended with Issue #24 with the beginning of the "Red Blade" Story Arc which concludes in the pages of WildC.A.T.S.
Collected editions
The series has been collected in the following trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Volume 1 (collects Worldstorm #1 and Stormwatch: Post Human Division #1-4 and 6-7, 160 pages, July 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1500-9)
- Volume 2 (collects Stormwatch: Post Human Division #5 and 8-12, 144 pages, April 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1678-1)
- Volume 3: World's End (collects Stormwatch: PHD #13-19, 136 pages, DC, October 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2489-X, TitanTitan BooksTitan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
, November 2009, ISBN 1848564783) - Volume 4: Unnatural Species (collects Stormwatch: PHD #20-24, 128 pages, August 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2852-6)
External links
- Preview of Stormwatch: PHD #1, NewsaramaNewsaramaNewsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
- Review of Stormwatch: PHD #1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, Comics BulletinComics BulletinComics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
- Mapping the Wildstorm Universe: Stormwatch P.H.D., Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
, December 30, 2008